Roger Tuivasa-Sheck celebrates a try for the Warriors. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The Warriors have bounced back from their disappointing Las Vegas season-opener with an emphatic 36-16 victory over Manly Sea Eagles in their first home game of the NRL schedule at Go Media Stadium.
The Auckland club barely fired a shot two weeks earlier, but ran in six tries this time, all converted by halfback Luke Metcalf, who surely silenced any critics of the decision to hand him the keys to the team, after the retirement of stalwart Shaun Johnson.
Metcalf capped the performance with a try between the posts in the final seconds, but had his fingerprints all over the win.
Manly struck first with a try to star fullback Tom Trbojevic and a Reuben Garrick penalty had them 6-0 up, before the home team could respond.
They piled on the next three tries to five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita, winger Taine Tuaupiki and centre Ali Leiatua to lead 18-6 at halftime.
Manly winger Jason Saab scored a contentious try, with replays suggesting he lost the ball before forcing in the corner, but allowed to stand by referee Adam Gee.
No matter, hooker Wayde Egan answered with the try of the game, as he dashed deep into the Manly half, barely pulled down by the defence, but bouncing back to his feet a couple of tackles later to finish off the move he began.
Winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck made the game safe, before Tuaupiki intercepted a wayward Manly pass, offloaded to Leiataua, who found Metcalf steaming up in support to put the cherry on the cake.
Manly had opened their campaign with a resounding win over North Queensland and looked dangerous whenever they threw the ball wide, but lost both Trbojevic and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans before the end of the contest, as their momentum came unstuck.
The Warriors host Sydney Roosters at Mt Smart next Friday.
Follow all the action with RNZ's live blog:
Team lists
Warriors: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Taine Tuaupiki, 3 Ali Leiataua, 4 Adam Pompey, 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Luke Metcalf, 8 James Fisher-Harris (cc), 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitch Barnett (cc), 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Marata Niukore, 13 Erin Clark
Interchange: 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Jackson Ford, 16 Demitiric Vaimauga, 17 Leka Halasima
Sea Eagles: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jason Saab, 18 Clayton Faulalo, 4 Reuben Garrick, 5 Lehi Hopoate, 6 Luke Brooks, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans, 8 Taniela Paseka, 9 Jazz Tevaga, 10 Josh Aloiai, 11 Haumole Olakau'atu, 12 Ben Trbojevic, 13 Jake Trbojevic
Interchange: 14 Jake Simpkin, 15 Corey Waddell, 16 Ethan Bullemor, 17 Tof Sipley
